Restaurant Marketing: How To Prepare For AI-Assisted Search

Search engines have changed the way consumers research potential dining options to visit. In fact, 62 percent of consumers look on Google to discover new restaurants, making it the leading platform for dining searches. With Google’s recent unveiling of Gemini in 2024, the company is leveraging AI to enhance the user experience through generative chatbot capabilities and advanced multimodals. While Google is a search engine powerhouse, it isn’t the only tech team pushing AI into new territories. AI-assisted search is predicted to become the norm. 

What does this new tech mean for restaurants? It allows for robust marketing with a wide consumer reach. Want to prepare yourself for the future? Read on!

What is AI-Assisted Search? 

Generative AI-assisted search takes user-generated data, processes it, learns from it, and delivers search results in real-time, tuned to the specific query asked. Generative AI can organize search results and break them down into relevant categories. For example, a general search for “large capacity restaurants in Denver” could yield other category offshoots, such as:

• Large capacity restaurants
• Restaurants popular for celebrations
• Restaurants for private parties

AI-driven search engines are more likely to notice restaurants featuring some key category content online. With that in mind, it’s essential for restaurant owners to identify their brands, showcase their unique offerings, and be specific in their descriptions across all web and social media platforms.

How Can Restaurants Use Generative AI to Their Advantage?

One key characteristic of new AI technology is that it blends machine learning, search rankings, and natural language processing (NPL) to improve search engine visibility. Restaurants can leverage GenAI to direct customer traffic to their establishments in a few simple ways.

Hone Your Brand

Developing brand recognition is always a priority, but having a clear, recognizable online brand is more crucial than ever. As AI-assisted searches continue to evolve, their ability to predict consumer behavior and direct users towards relatable businesses will also increase. A clearly defined online brand presence can allow AI to suggest your restaurant over competitors.

Take an omnichannel marketing approach so your establishment can be found across platforms. Always make sure that your business contact info, hours, and menus are up to date on Google Business listings and other platforms. This will help you appear during searches, such as Restaurants in Austin open late.

Think Like a Customer

AI is designed to work from the user's perspective. This means the words and phrases consumers use in their online searches will help create more data sets for generative AI to provide the most relevant information and research results. Keywords will still be crucial for searches; however, it’s important to get in the customer's mind and make finding you intuitive and easy.

Platforms like Google continuously update their algorithms. While it might seem tricky to stay on top of this, keeping your customers in mind and sticking to your brand identity will allow your restaurant to stand out.

Enhance Your Restaurant Brand with Quality Products and Business Tools from US Foods CHEF’STORE

At CHEF’STORE, we only stock high-end products at competitive price points so you can impress your guests and online followers. 

Need advice on marketing, training, or website design? Check out our business resources and take charge of your brand identity and operations.